The Question Collection
by juneprota
Summary: [SLASH] A different spin on how Brian, Justin, and Gus came together as a family. A collection of stories set in the same AU. Each story inspired by a question. BrianJustin
1. Grocery Shopping

**Question Collection**

**Grocery Shopping**

**(When?) **

I like your hair." Justin pulled his attention away from the wall of soup cans to look at the little boy pulling on his coat.

"Do you?" Justin looked around to see if anyone would claim the wandering boy.

"Yeah, it's kinda like my mom's."

"Where is your mom?" The boy looked around and looked back to Justin.

"She's not here."

"Is she in the store?"

"No."

"Where's your dad?"

"He's around. He made me come here. Do you want to go to the park with me, it's across the street?" If he weren't talking to a kid, Justin could swear he was being picked up.

"How 'bout we find your dad first?" The boy shrugged his shoulders.

"If you want. He's no fun though. What's your name? I forgot to ask. I always forget. My mom says I get it from my dad."

"I'm Justin, what's your name?"

"Gus. So, do you want to go to the park? I'm not allowed to cross the street without an old person with me."

"Gus!" Justin looked up to see a man, a rather attractive man, jogging towards the boy.

"Hey, dad."

"Where did you go? I told you not to leave my side."

"It's okay dad. I just saw Justin and wanted to talk to him. We're going to the park this afternoon." Brian looked up, holding Gus's hand.

"I have to say my son has excellent taste. Do you use the grocery store to troll around for five year olds often?" The raised eyebrow and slight smirk let Justin know he was joking.

"No, just on the weekends."

"Dad, are you done yet? We have to go to the park. You promised."

"I thought you were going with Justin." Gus rolled his eyes and spoke slowly.

"We're all going."

"Is that right?" Brian looked to Justin questioningly.

"Yeah, I guess so."


	2. Where

**Question Collection**

**Where**

**(Where?) **

"You have a young man demanding your presence immediately." 

"Well...I don't know if I'd exactly consider you young, Brian."

"Don't be a twat, Sunshine." Justin can hear the smile in Brian's voice. "Gus has spent all morning asking about you."

"Really?"

"Don't sound so surprised. From what Lindsay tells me and what I've observed, he talks about you everyday." Brian pauses and Justin can hear him take a breath. "So do you have plans for the afternoon?"

"Actually, this is Gus's lucky day. I have a completely clear schedule."

XXXXXXXXXX

Justin is lucky enough to find a parking spot on the street. He walks up to the building and pushes the buzzer at the front door.

"Hey, it's me."

"Thank God." He says it with an exaggerated gratitude. Justin can only guess what that means as Brian buzzes him up and he takes the lift to the top floor. Brian's standing in the doorway when Justin steps off the lift.

"They've been bugging the shit out of me." Before he can finish the sentence, two eight-year-olds are running to greet him. The redhead stops shyly a couple of feet in front of him, as Gus launches himself at Justin's body.

"Justin!" And he can't help but chuckle at the enthusiasm in that one word.

"Hey, Gus." He extracts himself from Gus's embrace to greet Reid.

"Hey buddy. What are you doing here today?"

"My mom said I could come over. We're having a sleepover."

"Yeah, Jus, are you sleeping over too?" Justin looks over the boy's head to look at Brian, silently asking if he'd be welcomed. Brian rolls his eyes at the hesitancy.

"I'm sure we'll convince Justin to stay somehow, Gus."

They all take the few steps to enter the loft and almost as soon as they're through the doorway, Gus is dragging Justin to the little table Brian bought for him so long ago. Apparently he and Reid were working on a picture and they wanted a "real artist" to help them with it. Looking at the mess on the table, Justin can see why Brian bought an extra table for Gus. He's sure Brian would have had a conniption fit over crayon marks and colored pencil scratches covering his thousand dollar, Mies van der Rohe, glass table.

All four of them sit around the cheap, plastic table while Gus describes exactly what he wants on the paper, ordering everyone to do this and that. Something he must have picked up from his father. Justin can see that Lindsay and probably himself influenced Gus's interest in art. But the child definitely didn't inherit Lindsay's talent. Something he must have been aware of, considering he was leaving all the actual drawing to Justin and Reid.

After a few minutes, Brian stood up.

"I'll leave you with the children, Sunshine. I have work to do."

"You just wanted me to come over for the free baby-sitting, didn't you?" Justin asks teasingly. Brian leans down, kissing his forehead before speaking softly, just for his benefit.

"That isn't the only reason I want you around, Justin." He walks away to his desk, leaving Justin to his thoughts. A couple of weeks ago, Brian had asked him to move in. Well that actually wasn't the first time it came up in conversation. But, it was the first time that Justin took the question seriously and actually considered answering in the affirmative.

Justin is snapped out of his thoughts by Gus's voice.

"Justin, why don't you live here?" Wasn't that the million-dollar question? He loved Brian and he loved Gus. Brian wanted him here and he was pretty sure Gus wouldn't mind. But there was something holding him back from making that leap. Justin looks up at Gus's expectant face and realizes he still has a question to answer.

"Gus, I have my own apartment. You know that. You've been there before." The frown that appears on Gus's face is almost comical.

"Justin, your apartment sucks." Gus says in all seriousness. And Justin can barely keep himself from laughing.

"Really? And why do you think it sucks?" Gus moves closer to Justin and rests a hand on top of his, a gesture he's witnessed Lindsay do time and time again when she has something to say that might upset someone.

"Justin, your apartment is small. There's not enough room for me and Dad when we have sleepovers. You don't have a T.V. or a PlayStation. Your building is old and it's not safe." Justin looked up at that remark. "I heard mom talking."

"Well, maybe I'll get a new apartment, that's bigger and safer. And, I'll buy a television and PlayStation."

"No. You should move in here." He says it with so much finality that Justin can't help but be reminded of Brian.

"But, I like living alone." And Justin seriously doubts his sanity as he has a completely serious conversation with an eight-year-old about where he should live.

"But you like me and Dad, more. You and Dad love each other. And you love me too, don't you?"

"Of course I do." Gus nods as if he was already sure of the answer.

"You and Dad should live with each other." Justin, realizing they had been ignoring Gus's friend for the past few minutes, turns to Reid for his opinion.

"So, what do you think Reid?"

"Well, you and Mr. Brian love each other, right?"

"Right."

"Then you should live together. My parents love each other and they live together."

"Well, I guess I'll think about it then."

"That means he'll say yes," Gus whispers not too quietly in Reid's ear.

XXXXXXXXXX

Brian and Justin lay in bed, albeit clothed for the benefit of the children.

"So what did you have to give Gus to get him to say all of that?" Brian's face is a mask of mock indignation.

"Sunshine. I'm shocked! To think I'd have to pay my own child to do his dear father a favor."

"It's because you're his father that I know he did his best to get something out of that. So what did you get him?"

"I bought him an i-Pod."

"An i-Pod, Brian? He's only eight!"

"I know, I know. But, what can I say, the boy has expensive tastes."

"I wonder where he got that from." Brian does the expected eye-roll before becoming serious.

"You know I really do want you here. So does Gus."

"I know."

"Then what's stopping you?" Justin paused before answering, trying to come up with a reason for why he hadn't moved in already and coming up empty.

"Nothing I guess."

"So, you'll move in with me?"

"Yeah. I guess I'll have a talk with my landlord."


	3. Pops

**Question Collection **

**Pops**

**(Why?)**

He walks to the stereo to turn the music down a couple notches and goes to answer the phone. As soon as he picks it up, he can hear Brian hurriedly speaking about what he can only assume is the reason for the call. But he can only pick out the words "Gus" and "school."

"Slow the fuck down, Brian. What's wrong?"

"Gus is in some kind of trouble at school. The principal is requesting one of his parents go down to pick him up. I have a meeting and Lindsay's busy at the gallery. Can you pick him up?"

After a few seconds, Justin recovers from the shock of being referred to as a parent and answers the question, "Um, yeah, sure."

"Thanks, Sunshine."

He changes out of his paint-spattered clothing and picks out something slightly more presentable.

XXXXXXXXXX

He pulls up to the elementary school and just parks in front. After entering the school, he follows the signs to the Principal's Office. The secretary, a scary old lady with horn-rimmed glasses and smeared lipstick, tells him he can walk right in. Gus is sitting in a chair opposite of the Principal's desk. His head is down and he has small frown on his face. Justin has never seen Gus look so dejected. He decides to get the boy to the loft as soon as possible, and turns to the Principal to ask what happened. He's an older man, probably 40, and rather attractive. And, Justin swears the guy is cruising him.

"He had a physical altercation with another fifth grader."

"Really?" He's surprised. As far as he knows, Gus has never been violent, although at times he can have a sharp tongue, something he inherited from his father.

"We have a strict policy about this kind of thing at our school. Both Gus and the other boy involved will be suspended for the duration of today and all of tomorrow," he says regretfully. Gus is a superb student and well-liked by most of his classmates and the faculty.

"That's not a problem, Mr. Keith. We'll have him back in class on Monday."

"Call me Ray. Thank you for being so understanding..."

"Justin," he holds out his hand to shake.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Justin." He holds on a little longer than necessary.

"Well, we better go. I'm sure Gus hasn't even had lunch yet."

"I won't detain you Justin. If you have any questions, feel free to call anytime. My secretary will put you right through. And have a nice day Gus." The pair walks out of the school towards the car. Gus lives with Lindsay, but with her being at work, the only option is to have him stay at the loft until she's finished.

When Brian called him about Gus, he was in the middle of a painting. He's hoping that after Brian gets home he'll be able to go back to it. He puts his thoughts about the painting aside and glances at Gus. The child seems to be deep in thought and looks despondent as if his biggest dream was crushed.

Justin knows he'll have to talk to Gus about what happened. He considers broaching the subject in the car, but his thoughts quickly turns to the time when his mother told him she knew he was gay and that claustrophobic, trapped feeling that engulfed him. Cars really aren't the best place for serious conversations.

XXXXXXXXXX

As soon as they enter the loft, Gus makes a beeline for the couch.

"Do you want a sandwich, Gus?"

"Uh, sure." Justin fixes a couple of tuna sandwiches, grabs a bag of chips, and sits everything on the island.

"You're sandwich is ready Gus." Gus slowly gets off the couch and sits on a bar stool. Justin finishes his sandwich quickly and waits for him to finish.

"So, do you want to talk about what happened?"

"Uh...no." Justin silently counts down from five. Gus always says "no" and usually spills within the next five seconds, a sometimes annoying habit he picked up from his Uncle Mikey.

"Well, we were in art class. And, we were all painting. I was talking to Reid about how my dad is the best artist ever. And, he said he thought my dad did business stuff. And, I told him that yeah my dad does business stuff, but my other dad is an artist. He said he only had one dad. And, I said I have two." Gus pauses. Justin is surprised by what he's told him. It's the first time he's ever heard Gus refer to him as his other dad.

"Go on, Gus."

"Well, I was telling him that I have two dads that love eachother. And, this boy Derek came up to us. And told me I was a freak and his mom said that if two men loved eachother they were evil and would go to hell."

Justin waits for Gus to continue.

"I was so angry, I hit him. I know I shouldn't have. But what he said was so mean. You and Dad aren't going to hell are you, Justin?"

"Some people think so." He pauses, knowing what he'll have to say and feeling Gus is too young to have to deal with this peace of reality. "And, unfortunately, this won't be the last time you hear hateful comments like that Gus. Do you think me and your Dad are evil?"

"No!" he almost shouts.

"Well, that's all that matters, Gus. There's always going to be people that don't like you or don't like your friends and family. It only matters what you think. If you're happy with yourself, your friends, and your family then whatever someone else says won't matter."

Gus's brow furrows as he thinks about what Justin said. "So, I should just ignore them?"

"Well, most people's anger comes from not understanding. So, using words in order to get someone to understand isn't wrong. But, hitting someone isn't going to solve the problem, that's something I know from experience."

"Really? What happened?"

"I'll tell you when you're a bit older." Gus considers his answer. Justin usually answers every question Gus asks whereas he has to weasel answers out of his father. He decides to let the subject drop, knowing that it must be important if Justin is unwilling to talk about it.

"Okay. Uh, thanks for talking with me, Jus."

"Of course, what are dads for?" Gus smiles at that.

"Uh, Jus? Can I call you dad too?"

"Well, we wouldn't want to confuse anyone by calling us both me and your father dad."

"Oh, okay." He looks absolutely crestfallen.

"You could call me Pops though." Gus's smile returns.

"Sure, Pops."

XXXXXXXXXX

When Brian comes home a couple of hours later, Gus and Justin are on the couch and the end credits of Yellow Submarine are rolling.

Justin meets Brian in the bedroom as the brunet changes out of his suit.

"So, what happened?"

"Some kid made a comment about fags and burning in hell and Gus hit him."

"Hmph." His frown looks similar to the one Gus was wearing earlier.

"I was just about to order something to eat. Do you want something?"

"Thai would be good."

"I was thinking pizza." Justin motions towards Gus.

"Yeah, sure, get me a salad."

While Justin is on the phone, Brian walks over to the couch and sits down next to his son.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?"

"No, it's alright. Justin talked to me about it. He said some people just don't understand and I shouldn't care what they think."

"Sounds like good advice."

XXXXXXXXXX

Soon after the pizza is finished, Lindsay arrives. While Gus gets his backpack together, Brian tells Lindsay what happened at the school and it seems that Justin has taken care of it.

Gus gave his dad a hug goodbye and walked over to Justin, giving him a hug as well.

"Bye Pops."

"Bye Gus."

Lindsay and Brian glance at eachother before she and Gus walk out of the door. As the door closes, Brian slides his arms around Justin's waist.

"Pops?" Brian turns the blonde around to face him.

"I guess I'm a father now."

"You've been one for awhile."

"I suppose so. Apparently I'm a DILF too."

"DILF?"

"Dad I'd Like to Fuck. The school principal was cruising me hard. Long looks, lingering touches, talk about pleasuring each other. He said I could call him anytime."

"You're nothing special Sunshine," Brian says with a smirk.

"What? I thought Ray and I had a connection!" he shouts in mock outrage.

"I guess we're both DILFs. I know I'd like to fuck you Pops."

"Well, get to it."

"Aye, aye, sir." With those words both men walk towards the bedroom.

The End


	4. An Ugly Little Thing

**Question Collection **

**An Ugly Little Thing**

**(What?) **

"That thing is not staying in this house, Gus." The thirteen-year-old was standing in front of his Dad and Pops, holding his new, recently acquired pet. He turned wide eyes to the more malleable of the two.

"It isn't that bad, Brian. And Gus really wants to keep it, just look at him." Brian couldn't help but snort at that comment.

"I invented that look. Fuck, I just used it on you last--" He was effectively cut off by Justin's elbow making contact with his ribs. Gus had a good idea what his father was going to say and what it would mean. Years spent with Grandma Deb, Auntie Em, and his very own father could do that to a child. "Whatever, that thing is not living here."

"Come on, Brian. It's kind of cute."

"By what standards, Sunshine? That thing is repulsive."

"Brian..." Gus smiled at the tone of voice, he knew he'd won. Pops was on his side now. And, Dad always did what Pops wanted. "Gus wants it. I want it here. It stays." Brian's expression was downright petulant, pout and all.

"But, I don't want it. It's ugly and gross."

"Brian. Two to one. You've been out-voted. Get over it." If Justin didn't know any better, he'd swear Brian was ready to stomp his foot.

"Fine, but I'm not feeding it."

"That's okay. I'll feed it."

"Ha, you know what those things eat, don't you?" Fuck, Gus did not want the conversation to go in this direction. Fucking Chester was going to ruin it.

"No, what does it eat?" Justin was already sounding hesitant.

"It eats little bunny rabbits." Justin gasped.

"Cute little bunny rabbits? I had a bunny when I was a kid, Chester. He was the best pet in the whole world." Gus had heard about the stupid rabbit before.

"I know, Pops."

"We can't keep the snake, Gus." He'd lost.

"Fine, I'll give it back to Reid."

"Good." With that, Justin walked back to the kitchen to finish the lunch he was making. Brian slung his arm across his son's shoulders.

"Nice try, Sonnyboy."


	5. Welcome Home Reid

**The Question Collection **

**Welcome Home Reid**

**(How?) **

"Gus, can you pick me up?"

"What the fuck, Reid? I just dropped you off an hour ago." Gus and Reid had spent the night at Babylon, with Gus's dads' supervision.

"It's important." The serious tone mobilizes Gus. He gets up to put his shoes on.

"Yeah, yeah, Reid. I'll be there in a bit."

"Actually could you pick me up at the park around the corner from my house?"

"Yeah, sure." Gus can't ignore the sense of dread in his stomach. What the fuck is Reid doing at that place at 1:00 in the morning? As he's leaving the house, he thanks God his dads are still at Babylon.

XXXXXXXXXX

He pulls up to the park to find his best friend sitting on a slowly swaying swing. He waits for a few seconds before realizing Reid hasn't noticed his car pull. He gets out and tells himself it isn't weird to get freaked-the-fuck-out by desolate parks at one in the morning before walking toward his friend.

"Reid?" And, for a minute he doesn't recognize his friend. Reid isn't smiling, or laughing, or doing any of the things Reid's always doing. He's sitting on a swing at one in the morning with tears in his eyes.

"Hey Gussy." He instinctively grimaces at the nickname before kneeling down on the pavement in front of the redhead and placing a hand on his knee.

"What happened?"

"They found out Gus. I can't believe they found out." Reid sounds nearly hysterical. Gus is about to ask him to elaborate when he figures it out for himself. There aren't too many things that would have him this upset.

"How?"

"Fuck, I don't know Gus. One of his friends saw us down there and thought it was his duty to tell dear old dad. Fuck, he doesn't even realize his friend was probably down there getting his dick sucked like everyone else."

"What did your dad say?"

"He told me to get the fuck out."

"What do you mean Reid?"

"He's a homophobic asshole Gus! He said that he wouldn't have a fag in his house. Fuck, he wouldn't even let me pack my shit."

"What about your mom?"

"She just stood there." When he starts sobbing, Gus can do nothing but hold his best friend. He considers telling him everything will be okay but he can't bring himself to lie to his friend.

XXXXXXXXXX

As they drive back to his house, Gus can't help but think of how lucky he is. He just can't understand it. How does a parent do that to their child, putting them in that kind of position? Having their own kid not know where they'll sleep or eat or how they're going to live?

Gus looks at the time as he pulls up to his house and concludes that it's too early for his dads to be back from Babylon. The teenagers walk into the house and Gus can't help but hear his mother nagging voice in his head. Gus, have you asked your friend if he'd like something to drink?

"Would you like something to drink, Reid?" Reid attempts to smirk at Gus's ever present manners but fails and just shakes his head in response.

They walk up the stairs to Gus's bedroom and Reid immediately goes to the bed and stretches out on top of the covers before settling on his side. Gus lays down next him. And, when he sees his friend's shoulders begin to shake with repressed sobs, he spoons behind him and holds his best friend like he did when they were kids and a bully broke Reid's favorite toy truck.

XXXXXXXXXX

Gus moves closer to the warm body next to him and feels his hand being pulled lower, until it's resting on top of what he knows is a jean-clad dick.

"Mmm, Justin." Gus's eyes snap open and upon seeing very familiar red hair in front of him he jumps out of the bed faster than he ever thought possible with a suspiciously female-sounding scream of horror. His actions were almost simultaneously mimicked by his best friend.

"Promise me, you'll never do that again."

"You touched my dick, Gus!"

"You called me Justin!"

"Fine. I promise never to call you Justin, if you promise never to touch my dick again."

"Agreed." They shook on it. And, Gus was grateful for something to lighten last night's mood. He took a quick shower before giving the bathroom to Reid.

While he was in the shower, Gus went downstairs to see what Justin was cooking for breakfast. He entered the kitchen to find Justin making pancakes and his father doing his best to distract him.

"Hey, guys." Both looked to him with silent smirks.

"What?" They glance at eachother and Gus can actually see them silently deliberating who will speak and finally deciding on his father.

"Gus, do you have anything you'd like to tell us," at Gus's confusion he elaborates, "about your relationship with Reid?"

"Your father and I saw you and Reid in bed together...spooning." Justin can barely keep the grin off his face.

"You should really be asking Pops, Dad. Reid was having an erotic dream about him." Brian looks to Justin and lifts an eyebrow, but before he can say anything, the subject of discussion walks into the kitchen and sits down on a stool next to Gus.

"So, what are you doing here Reid?" Justin sets a plate in front of both teenagers and pulls up a seat for himself, leaving his husband to fend for himself. "Wasn't Gus supposed to drop you off at your house last night?" The two teenagers look at eachother and their good moods quickly take a turn for the worst before Reid responds.

"Gus did take me home, but my parents kicked me out." Reid's head is down and Justin thinks he must have misheard him.

"What did you say?"

"My parents kicked me out last night...because I'm gay."

"Fucking assholes." Brian's angry mutter can be heard in the silent room.

"Reid, exactly what happened?" And they all listen as Reid recounts exactly what happened when he got home. How he walked in to find both his parents in the living room with the lights on. How his dad told him a friend saw him on Liberty Ave and asked him if it was true. How he decided to tell the truth and told his father he was gay. How his father told him he didn't house fags. How his dad told him to get the fuck out and how he looked at his mother, who remained silent. How he moved toward the stairs to grab a few things and how his dad grabbed his arm, forcibly removing him from the house.

Just as he's finishing his tale, his cell phone starts ringing. And, they all know who's on the other line by Reid's panic-filled eyes as he looks at the display before answering.

"Um...okay. Yeah, I'll be there soon." They can only hope it's good news as he hangs up the phone.

"What did they say, Reid?" Gus's hopeful tone betrays his age.

"Um...it was my mom and she said that they won't be paying for my phone anymore and she told me I could pick up my stuff." He says brokenly as tears run down his face.

Justin glances at Brian, silently communicating, before focusing on Reid.

"I'll go with you to pick up your things. Come on."

XXXXXXXXXX

They pull up to Reid's house. "I'll let you go in alone."

"Looks like I won't have to go in at all." Reid's looking out the window at boxes and garbage bags sitting in the driveway.

They load the truck and after a few moments of driving, Justin breaks the silence.

"Did Gus ever tell you I was disowned when I was seventeen?" Reid seems a little surprised.

"But, he always talks about his Grandmother Jennifer, your mom."

"Yeah, she wasn't always so accepting. When my dad found out I was gay, he told me I had to make a choice. Basically, I had to deny who I was to live with him or be on my own as a young gay man. And, my mother didn't do much to go against him. I was lucky - she came around eventually and dealt with it."

"Maybe my mom will come around too."

"Maybe," he paused trying to find the best way to phrase what he wanted to say, "the truth is, Reid, you have to be prepared that your parents may not come around. Gus has three parents and only one of our parents has accepted him as their legitimate grandson. I'm not saying you have to give up on the possibility of having a relationship with them. No matter what happens, most likely you'll always love your parents Reid. I haven't spoken to my father in ten years but I still send him a card every time his birthday rolls around. I guess what I'm trying to say is your parents may not support you, but you can't let that tarnish everything else that's good in your life. You have a group of friends that will always be there for you and that includes me, Brian, and Gus...and our whole little fucked up family."

With those words Justin pulls into the drive-way and they both take a box to carry into the unusually silent house.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Brian!"

"We're up here!" Justin and Reid set the boxes down and head upstairs, curious to see what Brian and Gus are up to. Justin pokes his head in the master bedroom and Gus's room to find them both empty.

"Where the fuck are you?"

"We're in the guest room." Justin hadn't even thought of looking in the guestroom that they so infrequently used. They walk in to see the room reorganized to fit a new desk and above the bed is an ugly banner, painted in what Justin hopes aren't his nice, expensive oils, that says "Reid's Room." Justin looks at Brian and Gus, both of which are barely containing grins at their handy work before smiling at Reid.

"Welcome home."

The End


	6. Boyfriend Meets Family

**The Question Collection **

**Boyfriend Meets Family**

**(Who?) **

During the spring break of his sophomore year in college, Gus brings his boyfriend home to meet the family.

Lindsay spends three months nagging her son to introduce "this new boy" to the family. To end what could be a never-ending inquisition, he acquiesces. After telling her when they will be arriving in Pittsburgh, he wraps up the conversation and hangs up the phone.

As soon as he presses the end button, he receives a call from his Grandma Deb. She promptly informs him that "we're having a welcome home dinner, and I want to meet that boyfriend." That call is followed by his Grandma Jenn calling to ask, "Who is this boy, Gus?" When he frees himself from that interrogation, his phone rings again. Before even looking at it, he knows it's his Auntie Em, "hey baby, I heard you have a new beau." He's able to end that conversation after sharing a little information, to only have the phone ring once again. "Old Geezer" shows up on the display which causes Gus to chuckle for a moment before picking up the phone to hear, "just turn it off, Sonnyboy."

XXXXXXXXXX

Gus decides to stay with his dads rather than his mother. He figures it's the most painless way to get through the week. His mother would spend every moment "getting to know" his boyfriend where as his dads probably wouldn't give a fuck.

While driving with his boyfriend to his dads' house, he rethinks what this whole "meet-the-family" thing will entail. He considers giving his boyfriend a few warnings about everyone but quickly disregards that idea. It's like studying for the SATs, pointless.

He pulls into the driveway and they grab their overnight bags from the backseat. They walk to the front door, and the distinct sound of two arguing people can be heard. With his hand on the doorknob he turns toward his boyfriend to voice a sarcastic "home sweet home," and pushes the door open, knowing they'll be walking in on his dads mid-argument.

His dads are facing off in the entranceway arguing about something. Whatever it is, it isn't important. It never is anymore. Justin stops mid-rant to greet Gus with a hug and smile.

"Gus!"

"Hey, Pops." He returns the hug and pulls away to embrace his father.

"Hey, Dad."

"Welcome home, Sonnyboy." Brian looks over Gus's shoulder at his boyfriend and back at Gus with a raised eyebrow. Justin begins to ask, "Gus, aren't you--" And, before his dads have a chance to make comments and ask questions, he grabs his boyfriend's hand and rushes upstairs, shouting over his shoulder, "We're going upstairs to unpack. Weren't you two arguing about something?" Gus figures the diversion is successful when he hears his dad make a comment and his pops reply with a caustic "Fuck you, Brian."

XXXXXXXXXX

They decide to drive two cars. Both, Brian and Gus want their own get-away-vehicle in case it becomes necessary. Gus and his boyfriend arrive first and Gus knows that his dads were right behind him, at least for the first half of the drive. But he assumes they became "distracted" along the way. As he's walking up to his grandmother's door, complete with "welcome home" decorations, his mind flashes to old episodes of The Munsters. He's Marilyn, the normal one, and he's about to introduce his boyfriend to his family members, all of which are crazy but insist they're completely "normal." He quickly abandons that train of thought. Comparing himself to blonde female television stars is just too gay, even for him.

As soon as they enter the house, Gus is engulfed in a hug by Deb. As she lets go, she looks his boyfriend over.

"Looks like you've got yourself a good one, Gussy." She says with a pinch to his boyfriend's rear end. Gus cringes at the lifelong nickname and his boyfriend looks absolutely horrified that a nearly 70 year old woman just pinched his ass. Emmett chooses that moment to walk over and examine the fresh meat.

"Oh Gussy! Who's this fine specimen you brought for your Auntie?" Gus once again cringes at the nickname. It's an automatic reaction. He's hated that name since he was ten, but everyone still insists on using it. When he turned fifteen he just stopped complaining about it. The three of them move to sit on the couch. Emmett regales them both with tales of his latest travels, while flirting shamelessly with Gus's boyfriend.

XXXXXXXXXX

Twenty minutes later, the king and his consort are still MIA. Deb is two seconds away from calling a search party when the couple walks in. And, it's very obvious to everyone exactly what detained them if his dad's satisfied smirk and his Pops flushed cheeks are any hint, but his mother chooses to ask anyway.

"Brian, Justin! Where were you?"

"Sunshine had a craving for cock, and who am I to deny the boy's cravings?"

"Brian!" the three blond WASPs in the house exclaim, although Justin's exclamation is in response to Brian saying that in front of his mother rather than being shocked by the words coming out of the brunet's mouth. As the room starts to quiet down, the front door flies open and Gus's best friend Reid bursts into the room.

Of course the first person he greets is Justin.

"Justin!" He exclaims enthusiastically and wraps his long arms around the blonde in a tight hug.

Almost as soon as Reid realized he was gay he developed a bit of a crush on Justin which really didn't bother anyone. Gus thought it was funny. Justin found it endearing. Brian just found it tolerably annoying. When Reid was seventeen he accidentally came out to his parents and was promptly thrown out. Brian and Justin took him in so he wouldn't have to change schools. Justin and Reid became more of friends than anything else; they bonded over their similar coming out experiences. Now, Reid would jokingly flirt with Justin for laughs and it had the added bonus of pissing off a certain brunet.

Gus watches as his pops half-heartedly fights off the tall red head until his dad is forced to intervene, pulling Reid's arms from the blonde's body. When he looks away from the little scene, he notices his pseudo-uncle walking towards him. For a moment, he considers grabbing his boyfriend's hand and making a run for it, thus avoiding the inevitable, slightly inappropriate proposal that is about to be made. But, it's too late.

"Hey Gus, how's it going?"

"It's going just fine Uncle Ted."

"You know I'm always looking for new talent and I thought I'd just give your boyfriend a business card in case he's ever looking for work," he says handing the card to Gus's boyfriend.

Ted walks away to talk to Molly's latest boyfriend and Gus glances at his boyfriend. He looks genuinely excited that someone would offer him a job. Gus manages the patented Kinney eye roll.

"Read the card. he reads aloud. "The porn site?"

"The one and only."

"Cool," his boyfriend says before stuffing the card in his back pocket.

XXXXXXXXXX

Gus is positively ecstatic when dinner is ready; he doesn't have to see his dads make out on the couch. As soon as they all sit down, his Grandma Deb turns her attention his boyfriend.

"Is your mother in PFLAG?" Ever since she quit her job at the diner she's focused all of that extra energy on PFLAG. She's always looking for recruits.

"Um, no ma'am."

"Cut the ma'am shit, kid. And, give me her phone number. I'll take her to the next meeting." He looks at Gus, panic clearly in his eyes, most likely imagining his WASP mother at a PFLAG meeting. Gus just shrugs his shoulders. It's not like he can stop her. No one's ever been able to stop the woman when she's on a mission.

XXXXXXXXXX

Halfway into dinner, his boyfriend excuses himself from the table to use the restroom. Gus is in a heated debate with Emmett and Justin about which celebrities are gay and doesn't notice when Reid follows his boyfriend out of the room. Almost twenty minutes later his boyfriend returns to the table.

"I just had an interesting conversation with your friend."

"Really?"

"He informed me that, among other things, your father has the kind of connections that would permit him to have a body six feet under within an hour." Gus fears he's inherited the family crazy-gene when he decides to go along with whatever game Reid is playing.

"Well, that's common knowledge," he replies and watches his boyfriend's eyes widen.

XXXXXXXXXX

After dinner, everyone exits to the living room for the obligatory two hours of "catching up." Before Gus and his boyfriend get a chance to step out of the kitchen they are stopped by Jennifer.

She motions toward the chairs at the table. Gus understands the silent order and sits down with his boyfriend next to him. She takes a seat across from them and Gus is reminded of interrogation scenes from corny detective movies.

"Now, young man, what are your intentions with my grandson?" His father walks by in that moment and stops to give a mock prayer.

"Thank you God for sending someone else for her to torment." Jenn takes a sip of coffee and hides her smile behind the cup.

XXXXXXXXXX

As they are driving back to his dads' house, Gus decides the whole dinner thing didn't go too badly and hopes the rest of the week goes just as well.

The End


End file.
